


Safe

by starbxcks



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Exes, F/M, James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader - Freeform, it's just angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:55:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbxcks/pseuds/starbxcks
Summary: A mission gone awry reminds Y/N of what once was.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	Safe

_“ **You’re safe now**.”_ His deep voice mumbles against her soot and blood covered hair, strong arms- one flesh and one metal- wrapped tightly around her frame. Her heart twists and clenches uncomfortably in her chest.

_Safe._

From the enemy, yes. Their bodies lay still amongst the ash and smoke surrounding them. An intel mission that nearly cost them their lives because she hadn’t clocked the bomb on the last man standing in time.

_Safe._

A word she used to associate with the beaten and bruised assassin with a horrible past- a past that now included her.

It was how her heart felt when she confessed it belonged to him between fervent kisses and breathless whispers.

Or how he felt when he whispered those three little words against her collarbone for the first time, naked limbs tangled in messy sheets and each other.

She was always safe with her lover. Until reality came crashing down on them.

Dating a coworker, a teammate, an Avenger is a risky thing. The don’t say to not mix business with pleasure for nothing. When not one, but _three_ attempts on her life are made because of _him_ it’s too much. The anxiety, the nightmares, the constant checking each other’s six everywhere they went, and the _guilt_ , god, the _guilt_.

How could he live with the fact that because of him his lover is in constant danger?

_“I can handle myself, Buck.”_ And god does he know that. Knows more than anyone how well she can defend herself. But that’s not the point. _He’s_ the one that can’t handle it. How can he love her the way she deserves when he’s too busy worrying if that goodbye kiss from this morning will be the last?

So he lets her go, because loving her from afar is better than not being able to love her at all. She’ll be better off. Happier, safer. That’s what he tells himself, anyway.

“You’re okay. I got you, honey. **_You’re safe now_.**” Bucky’s rough voice repeats like a broken record and she has to swallow the sob that threatens to escape. She hasn’t felt this secure in what feels like years. Her arms wrap around his broad shoulders of their own accord.

They hold onto each other tighter in the debris of what was once a strong and sturdy building. What was once their love.

**Author's Note:**

> One of the angsty-est things I've written. Prompt is in bold!


End file.
